Advice
by ThatFilmStudent
Summary: Marlene McKinnon has a big problem - a romantic problem - and there is only one person who can help her: Sirius Black. Problem is, historically speaking, Sirius has never been the one people go to for advice. Marlene/Dorcas, background Sirius/Remus.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own these characters or settings.**

* * *

The Gryffindor sped down the lengthy hallways of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, cerulean blue eyes searching as she went. She was looking for something. Or rather, some **one**. And she knew exactly where to find her.

She walked as fast as she could (opting not to run as, not ten seconds ago, she had knocked a second year down and, in the process, had managed to fall over herself and injure her knee). Her eyes moved carefully, purposefully, as she made her way to the Library, searching for the Ravenclaw Head Girl that had haunted her dreams for months ( **years** ) now.

The Library was where she'd find her, she knew it.

* * *

 **Earlier that day...**

Marlene McKinnon, seventh year Gryffindor and Quidditch Beater, paused and leaned against a thick tree trunk, her blue eyes scanning the Hogwarts grounds with intent as she looked for a certain dark haired individual; Sirius Black, to be exact.

Her gaze fell on the Black Lake where she found her intended target standing at the edge, his back to a large willow tree and his usually stormy grey eyes fixed on the water. Marlene smiled and sighed in relief, glad that Sirius was where James Potter had said he would be.

Nodding to herself, she straightened up and walked towards the other Gryffindor. As she got closer, a devious smile crept onto her face and she quickly, stealthily, ducked behind the willow tree, out of his sight, before...

"Sirius!" she roared, jumping out from behind the tree.

Black yelped (in a very unmanly way, if you asked her) and stumbled backwards, nearly tripping over one of the large roots of the willow tree. He quickly managed to catch himself and he straightened up, glaring at the blonde and brushing himself off for effect. Marlene cackled, undeterred by his withering glare, and rolled her eyes at his dramatics.

"What?" he asked, a little testily. "I wasn't doing anything."

Marlene laughed. "I didn't say you were doing anything... Why, what were you doing?" she teased, grinning as she tried to peek over his shoulder to see what he might have done.

Sirius squared his shoulders and tucked something into his pocket discreetly. He then swiped his foot along the dirt, erasing whatever he had written there but Marlene could still see traces of an R and an S on the ground. She saw all of these actions but decided not to question them since she had another reason for being there.

"Whatever," she muttered. "Look, I came out here because I need to talk to you."

Sirius regarded her curiously before he gestured for her to continue.

"I need some advice," she explained.

Sirius laughed loudly but when he realised that she wasn't joking, he stopped. "Really?" he asked, watching her with poorly hidden scepticism. "You came to me for advice?"

"Yes," she answered defiantly, placing her hands on her hips purposefully.

"And why, Miss McKinnon, would you come to me of all people for advice?"

Marlene shifted uneasily and glanced down at the faint R in the dirt. "I just... I think you're the only person who can help me," she admitted, looking up.

Uncertainty was quickly replaced with curiosity as the ex-Aristocrat stared at her. "Why?" he asked. "What is this about?"

Marlene hesitated for a second before she answered, "Relationships."

"Relationships," he repeated before he burst into laughter again. "You – You came to **me** for relationship advice?" he asked incredulously, as if it was absolutely bloody hilarious for her to go to him for help.

Marlene rolled her eyes and answered, "Yes."

Sirius stared at her for a solid minute before he shook his head faintly and asked, "Why me? I mean, why not Evans or Fortescue? Or your Ravenclaw mate, Meadowes? Isn't she like your best friend or something? Honestly, Mar, I am not the person you want to go to for advice. Literally anyone else would be better than me. Hell, even James would be better to ask for that kind of advice!"

"They can't help me with this," Marlene replied simply. "You can."

Sirius's brow furrowed as he considered the blonde. "You must be pretty desperate to come to me for help," he murmured thoughtfully. "What about Remus? He's much better at this sort of stuff than I am."

Marlene growled. "He can't help me either. He hasn't been through this," she replied. "I mean, well, he has but not really... Sirius, could you please just, you know, help me instead of trying to fob me off on someone else? I came to you because you've been through this. They won't understand but you will. And besides, you've been in a relationship for, what, five months now?"

"Alright, fine," he relented. "I'll help. But I can't guarantee you that it will be good advice."

Marlene nodded curtly. "Duly noted."

"Okay, so. What's up?" he asked, seemingly ready to comply. "You said that you needed relationship advice?"

"Yes," she replied, her heart pounding as she added, "More specifically, I need some advice on gay relationships."

"Oh," Sirius replied intelligently.

Marlene hummed and took a cursory glance around the Lake, finding no one else out on the school grounds, before she sat down under the willow tree and began picking at the grass. A few seconds later, Sirius sat down next to her.

"So, you're..."

"Yeah."

"Right..." Sirius looked lost for a brief moment before he grinned and said, "Well, then. Welcome to the Rainbow Club."

That startled a laugh from the blonde Gryffindor and she felt her shoulders relax slightly, the tension slowly easing away. "Thanks," she replied.

"Have you said it, yet?" he asked.

"Yeah," she answered. "A few times. I 'came out' to my friends about two months ago."

"Congratulations," he said, grinning proudly.

"Thanks," she giggled before she turned to him. "Look, Sirius, I need your advice. I fancy someone. Actually, I think it's more than fancy but... well, I don't want to say I'm in **that word** with her yet, you know? Not until I know she feels the same way."

Sirius nodded. "I get it," he replied, and Marlene reckoned that he really did understand. "So... what is it you want from me exactly?"

"I..." She licked her lips and looked down, tracing random patterns in the dirt. "I need you to tell me how you got Remus. I mean... How did you know he liked you back?" she asked, looking up.

Sirius started, looking like he hadn't been expecting Marlene's request (which he probably hadn't, she realised), and he stared back at her with wide eyes.

Most of Gryffindor House (and probably most of the school) knew of the romantic relationship between Sirius Black and Remus Lupin but very few dared to ask them about it. It wasn't like they hid their relationship, but they didn't exactly flaunt it either. Most were left to draw their own conclusions.

People didn't question the couple because: one, Remus Lupin was a private person, and he was very good at hiding things when he wanted to; and two, Sirius Black had a mean temper that very few dared to incur on purpose, and he had a fiercely protective streak when it came to Remus (and his friends). Only those close to the pair knew of the details. And only they really got to ask about it.

The only reason the rest of the school vaguely knew of the relationship was because of a mass game of Truth or Dare which involved Belinda Munster (a sixth year Gryffindor and the Hogwarts Gossip Mill Runner) and a lot of Firewhisky. Marlene knew because she was close with the Marauders and with Sirius in particular. (They had dated for a month in their fourth year, after all; but Sirius had quickly discovered that he preferred cock and Marlene had begun to realise that she didn't.)

"Uhm..." Sirius licked his lips nervously. "I... James has been through the same thing, you know? Why not go and ask him?" he asked, evasive and seemingly uncomfortable with talking about his romance with Remus.

"Sirius," she growled, exasperated. "It's not the same! I like a girl. It's different to what James or Lily or Alice have been through! They knew they stood a chance. I don't. You're the only person who knows what this is like; who knows how it feels to not know if your friend likes you back!"

Silence reigned for a few long seconds before Sirius murmured, "Friend..."

"What?"

"You said you don't know if your **friend** likes you back," he explained. "Is it Meadowes?"

Marlene's heart leapt into her throat and she had to swallow to push it back down to its rightful place behind her ribs. "I... That's... How did you...?" she stumbled.

Sirius grinned. "I'm not an idiot, Mar. I know the look of longing. I've been friends with James Potter for seven years now," he joked. "I also had it myself for over a year."

Marlene exhaled and looked down at her dirt doodles. Sirius knew... If Sirius knew, how many others did too? Oh, Merlin... Did Dorcas know? The thought made her panic for a brief moment before she remembered that Dorcas was kind of dense when it came to romance and attraction. Back in their fifth year, Hufflepuff Davey Gudgeon had fancied her but she hadn't had a clue.

"Yes," she answered. "It's her."

"Thought so," he replied, sounding slightly smug.

"So?" she asked, turning back to him with an expectant look. "How did you know that Remus liked you back?"

"I didn't," Sirius answered simply, honestly.

Marlene frowned. "What? Then why did you tell him? I mean, weren't you worried about what would happen? Weren't you afraid for your friendship; that you'd lose him? I mean, what if he didn't like you back?"

Sirius sighed and looked out at the Lake, his grey eyes wandering over the calm surface. "Of course I was scared," he admitted quietly. "Who wouldn't be afraid that they were falling in love? And with their best mate at that! But I just... I got to the point where I just couldn't keep it in anymore; I just had to tell him. I knew that he would forgive me, if he didn't feel the same way. I knew he wouldn't hold it against me. He's that kind of person. I reckon Meadowes is the same. If she doesn't feel the same, I don't think she will condemn you."

Marlene hummed thoughtfully before she asked, "Will you tell me? About how you and Remus got together, I mean?"

Sirius glanced at her and said, "Seven months."

"What?"

"We've been together for seven months, not five," he corrected. "Seven months, two weeks and six days. Before that..." He sighed and turned his eyes back to the Lake. "It took me ages, Mar. It took me months to realise why my heart beat faster around him, and then months to tell him, and then another few months before I finally convinced him to give me a chance."

He leaned back, supporting himself on his hands, and stretched his legs out in front of them.

"I told him that I fancied him ages ago. Back in sixth year," he informed. "I didn't tell him that I loved him – that would have been pushing it; he would have never given me a chance if I had said that. Anyway, I told him I fancied him and he said he didn't feel the same. I was sad but at least he was still my mate, you know? And everything was fine. But, then... On the last day, before the Christmas break, he kissed me."

A small smile graced his lips and Marlene couldn't help but want to be that much in love; to be so in love that the mere thought of someone kissing her would make her smile like an idiot.

"I honestly can't tell you how happy I was, Mar," he continued. "I didn't get a chance to talk to him about it because James and Pete burst into the compartment seconds later and then the train began taking us all home. All Christmas, all I could think about was him. I was so happy all holiday, and I was so excited to come back and see him... But when we did come back, I asked him about it and he said that we couldn't; that it just wouldn't work."

Marlene frowned. "Why wouldn't it work?" she asked quietly.

Sirius hesitated for a long moment before he replied, "He was scared. You see, Re's a Half-Blood. He grew up in Muggle society. He knows how they think; how they treat people who are different; how they treat people like us – gay people. And it's not good. He was just scared. He was terrified of how he would be treated; of being rejected by his family and his friends. I mean, you might have noticed that he's not exactly a social butterfly."

Marlene giggled softly, "Yeah, he is quite awkward, isn't he?"

Sirius chuckled his agreement. "Yeah. It's all part of his charm, though," he replied fondly. And there was that smile again, Marlene noticed.

"He was worried about other things," Black continued, eyes still on the Lake. "He was worried I'd get bored, or that our friendship would be ruined, or that we'd break up and our friends would have to choose sides. It took me months to convince him that I wasn't going to get bored; that our friendship wasn't going to go up in flames. It took me months of subtle messages; months of promises and reassurances that we could make it work, if we wanted it to. Merlin knows I wanted it to. It took me ages to convince him to go on just one date with me so that I could prove how serious I was about it all." He paused and frowned at the watery surface. "And then, when I was about to give up, he said okay. He said that I had one date. I had one chance to prove that it was worth the risk."

Sirius turned to look at Marlene. "I'm so glad he did, Mar. He has made me the happiest I have ever been. And I like to think I make him happy, too. I reckon it was worth the risk – telling him how I feel. He still worries now, you know, but he doesn't seem to worry so much when he's with me."

"You'd do it again?" Marlene asked. "Even though he said no, then yes, then no, then yes again? Even though it risked your friendship? Even though it made everything difficult and awkward for a while?"

"Yes," he answered. "Look, if he hadn't liked me back, things would have been fine. We were getting over it until Christmas happened. Everything was only difficult because Remus did like me back and he was afraid."

Marlene frowned faintly. "So... You think it's worth the risk?"

"Without a doubt," Sirius answered resolutely. "Because if I hadn't risked our friendship, I would've never known the happiness that I know right now. I'm not saying everything is perfect and happy with me and Remus, but it is bloody close." He paused and bit his lip, smiling that love-struck smile again. "Last week... he told me that he loved me, you know? I still can't believe how lucky I am. You know, even if he had said no and stuck to it, I think I would have still been glad that I told him."

"Really?"

"Yes," he replied. "You can't tell anyone any of this, by the way. This is for your ears only," he warned.

Marlene snorted and patted his arm affectionately. "Scared people will discover that the great Sirius Black actually has feelings? Think it'll ruin your punk, tough-man image?" she teased.

Sirius chuckled but didn't say anything.

"I won't tell," she promised. "So what do you think I should do?"

"Honestly, Mar, I don't know what to tell you," he answered. "What do you want to do? I mean, I didn't think Remus would feel the same but he did – in the end. Personally, I think it's worth the risk, but it really depends on you and what you want to do. Meadowes would understand, if she doesn't feel the same. I'm sure she would. She loves you, that much is obvious. Maybe she loves you like a friend, or maybe she loves you in the same way you do her. But even if she doesn't fancy you back, then at least you'll know and you can move on, right?"

Marlene hummed thoughtfully. "I suppose... You know, I think this is the most mature conversation I have ever had with you," she mused.

Sirius grinned and retorted, "Blame Remus."

Marlene giggled softly before she sighed. "So, you think I should tell her?" she asked, though she reckoned she already knew his answer.

Sirius observed her for a long moment before he asked, "Marlene, how much do you like her? Could you imagine a life with her – with kids and a house and a dog?"

"Yes," she answered immediately, before she had a chance to even think about it.

Surprised at herself, Marlene frowned and pondered her instant response, quickly realising that she could see a future with Dorcas. She could see the two cats and the lovely house in the countryside. She could even see their impossible children, with Dorcas's caramel skin and her blue eyes. (Truth be told, she wasn't too fussed about having children but if Dorcas wanted them, she certainly wouldn't object.) She could see it all: a future, with Dorcas by her side.

"I couldn't imagine my life without her in it," she murmured.

"Then I think you have your answer," he replied. "Look, I don't know if this is wishful thinking but, well, I've seen the way she looks at you. She looks at you like she is in awe of you. I think she might just feel the same way. Maybe honesty is the best policy here, yeah?"

"Maybe..."

"And if she doesn't feel the same way, then at least you'll know and you can move on," Sirius restated. "But honestly, Mar, I don't think she would let it get in the way of things, if she didn't feel the same. But for the record, I think she does."

Marlene smiled and nodded decisively. "Alright. I'm gonna tell her, then it's up to her what happens next." She paused. "But... she's a Half-Blood as well. What if she feels the same way Remus did?"

"Then you might want to strap in, because you're in for a long and bumpy ride," he replied. "But I'm sure that she'll be fine with it."

Marlene frowned but launched herself to her feet determinedly. "I'm going to tell her," she decided, grinning. "And then, maybe, hopefully, she'll like me back. And if she does, I'll make her love me back," she concluded confidently.

Sirius grinned and encouraged, "That's the spirit!"

He held out his hand and she took it, helping him up and sharing a hopeful smile with him. Then, together, they walked back up to the castle, a comfortable silence settling between them. They walked along the various corridors and made their way to the Gryffindor common room. When they arrived, she paused outside of the Portrait Hole and stared at the floor in contemplation.

"Do you think I should go and tell her now?" she asked, turning to Sirius. "Or, maybe I shouldn't tell her..."

"I thought we had already discussed this," Sirius replied. "You have to tell her, Mar. If you don't, you will forever wonder: what if?"

Marlene bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah. Yes. Okay. I'm going to do it. I'm going to tell her. Right now," she decided before she could change her mind. She pulled Sirius in for a quick hug, which he returned a few startled seconds later, before she released him and trotted down the stairs, calling behind her, "Thanks, Sirius! You're better at giving advice than you think."

Sirius scoffed a laugh and replied, "I disagree, but thanks."

Marlene paused at the bottom of the staircase and grinned up at him. "See you in a bit!"

"Good luck," Sirius replied. "Not that you'll need it."

With that, Marlene turned and headed for the Library.

* * *

The Gryffindor strode into the Hogwarts Library with purpose, earning a warning look from Madam Craggs when one of the tall doors slammed against the stone wall. Marlene ignored the ancient Librarian and scanned the space quickly before she walked down the aisles and made her way to Study Area 3 where she knew Dorcas Meadowes would be.

"Dee," Marlene breathed, her butterflies taking flight in her stomach when she spotted the object of her desires sitting at one of the desks.

Dorcas didn't seem to have heard her, too engrossed in her homework, and Marlene allowed herself a moment to observe the Ravenclaw before she strolled over to where the other student was sitting and leaned on the back of the chair opposite, waiting patiently for the Head Girl to acknowledge her. After a few moments, Dorcas looked up and smiled, unwittingly sending heat coursing through Marlene's veins.

"Hullo," she greeted.

"Hey," Marlene replied, offering a large grin. She moved to the chair next to Dorcas, pulled it out and sat down. "Whatcha doin'?"

"My Arithmancy homework," she answered, regarding the blonde curiously. "Which is what you should be doing, come to think of it... Why?"

"No reason," Marlene beamed.

Dorcas squinted suspiciously. "Okay..." She turned back to her work. "So, what have you been doing today?" she asked conversationally.

The Gryffindor sat back in her chair and watched the Ravenclaw work happily. "I had lessons, then I went for a walk, then I had a bit of a catch up with Sirius," she informed.

"Black? I thought you two had broken up," Dorcas murmured absently.

"Please, we were barely even together," Marlene dismissed easily. "Besides, he's about as straight as a rainbow."

Dorcas glanced up, brown eyes amused. "Mhm," she hummed, returning her eyes to her text. "What did you chat about?"

"Oh, you know. This and that," she answered vaguely, waving her hand flippantly. "How was Care of Magical Creatures? Learn anything interesting?"

The Head Girl sat back in her chair, biting her lip as she thought back to her lesson (and unwittingly making Marlene drool because, honestly, who bites their lip in that seductive way?!), and answered, "Lots of things, really. But all that's coming to mind is that they recently discovered a new breed of Knarl in Indonesia."

Marlene hummed distractedly and replied, "That is interesting."

Dorcas frowned and stared at the Gryffindor for a long moment before she asked, "What's wrong?"

Marlene tore her gaze away from Dorcas's full (beautiful, kissable) lips and opened her mouth to reply but Dorcas cut her off.

"You're acting strange," she interrupted. "Actually, you've been acting strange for a while now. Are you okay? Should I be worried?" she asked, clearly concerned as she rested her hand on Marlene's knee.

Marlene looked down at the delicate hand on her knee and fought to control the horde of warm butterflies that erupted in her chest. "Uh, I... I just," she stuttered before she cleared her throat and looked up into the caring brown eyes across from her. "I have a problem," she answered.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No, I..." she whispered and before she could stop herself, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against the brunette's.

She held herself there for a brief moment before she came back to herself and noticed that: one, the hand on her knee had tensed; and two, Dorcas was not kissing her back. (She conveniently ignored the fact that Dorcas hadn't removed her hand and that she hadn't pulled away from the kiss.) She pulled back quickly, her eyes closed tight, and silently cursed herself for being so impulsive.

"Marley," Dorcas whispered.

The Gryffindor frowned and clenched her eyes shut. She didn't want to see the look of abstract horror on her best friend's face; she didn't think she could handle that. She hadn't planned to tell Dorcas that way – by kissing her without consent or warning. That was not what she had wanted to happen. (Well, she **had** wanted to kiss Dorcas; but she had wanted it to be reciprocal. Ideally, she had wanted Dorcas to instigate the kiss.)

"I, uh... I-I," Dorcas stumbled.

"Oh, shit," Marlene cursed under her breath, and shuffled back in her chair. "Fuck, Dee, I am so sorry. I'm – I didn't mean – I shouldn't have done that. That was **not** what I had planned to happen. I am so, so, **so** fucking sorr—"

Before she could finish apologising, soft lips met hers and her blue eyes snapped open to see that, yes, Dorcas Meadowes, the Ravenclaw that had affected her life in every way since they were eleven years old, was indeed kissing her. Up close, Dorcas's face was a caramel blur but that didn't make her any less beautiful.

As soon as Marlene realised what was happening, she pulled back and stared at the brunette, taken aback because what? Dorcas was kissing her? Like, actually kissing her? With lips and everything? She watched as Dorcas moved away as well and jerked her hand back, a look of worry crossing over her pretty features.

"Sorry," the Ravenclaw said. "I'm sorry, Marlene. I just, I thought..." She sighed and put her head in her hands, her elbows rested on her knees. "I thought you wanted me to—"

"I did," Marlene interrupted quickly. She pulled Dorcas's hands away from her face and forced the brunette to look at her. "I did," she repeated strongly. "Sorry, I was just a bit... shocked, I guess. I didn't expect you to do that."

Dorcas released a watery laugh and looked down at their joined hands. "Neither did I," she admitted.

Marlene stared down at their hands as well and smiled. They looked so... right, together. There was no other word for it. It felt **right** to have Dorcas's hand clasped in her own.

"Dee," she began hesitantly. "I like you. I mean, I really like you. As more than a friend. And I'm kind of hoping that you like me back?"

Dorcas looked up at her and laughed. "I think that's obvious, don't you?"

Marlene looked up as well and asked tentatively, "You do like me?"

"Yes," the brunette answered immediately. "Of course I do. Why wouldn't I? You're amazing and brave and fearless, and I have fancied you for years. I just, I didn't think I had a chance. And then you came out to us and I thought, maybe I do have a chance, and I was working up the courage to tell you that I want to be with you but I'm not a Gryffindor and I didn't know whether I'd ever tell you."

Marlene beamed, beyond happy because she had honestly never expected to hear those words ( _I have fancied you for years_ and _I want to be with you_ ) cross Dorcas's lips.

"Can I kiss you again?" she ventured.

Dorcas smiled shyly and nodded.

Marlene leaned forward again, grabbed Dorcas's chin between her fingers gently, and kissed the Ravenclaw soundly. Dorcas, much to Marlene's surprise and delight, took control and buried her hands in blonde hair, deepening the kiss. Marlene smiled into the kiss and returned it as fiercely as the brunette.

They broke apart abruptly when a loud thud sounded from behind them. Dorcas looked past her and Marlene twisted in her seat to see Peter Pettigrew standing there, gaping at them.

"Problem, Pete?" Marlene asked, cocking an eyebrow at the shortest Marauder.

Peter flushed and covered his eyes quickly. "No. Sorry, I was just – it doesn't matter," he mumbled before he picked up the book he had dropped and scurried away.

Marlene and Dorcas laughed. Marlene really did enjoy making the smaller boy squirm, and he always did around her. (She suspected it was because she was taller and could be quite confrontational when she wanted to be.) She turned back to her Ravenclaw and was a little surprised when she was given a quick kiss on the lips.

Marlene smiled and licked her lips, tasting Dorcas on them. The flavour of Dorcas and her raspberry lip-gloss stained Marlene's taste buds and her smile widened when she remembered that she was now allowed to kiss the Ravenclaw.

"I, uh... I don't have my Arithmancy book with me," she informed. "Do you maybe want to come back to my common room? We could study there?" she suggested hopefully.

Dorcas nodded without hesitation and they untangled themselves from each other. Dorcas shoved her things into her bag hastily and picked it up, slinging it over her shoulder. They then strolled out of the Library and towards the Gryffindor Tower, their hands brushing slightly as they went. They walked in silence, trading shy but happy smiles, and eventually made it to the Tower.

Marlene paused outside the entrance and turned to Dorcas, smiling when the Ravenclaw turned to face her. "Dee," she said, taking a hold of her hand and smiling when Dorcas grinned at her. "Would you like to go on a date with me this Hogsmeade weekend?"

Dorcas's grin widened – if that was even possible – and she nodded enthusiastically. "I'd love to," she replied happily.

Marlene nodded and leaned in for another kiss, Dorcas meeting her halfway. The kiss was chaste and when they broke apart, Marlene muttered the password ('Toadstools') and they entered the Gryffindor common room, hands still clasped together. Marlene led her... girlfriend... into the room and over to her Gryffindor girl-friends at one of the study desks.

"Hi," Alice muttered to them, eyes focused on her Herbology homework.

"Hullo, Mar, Dorcas," Lily greeted, glancing at their joined hands briefly before she smiled at them.

"Hi," Dorcas replied quietly, her hand squeezing Marlene's tightly.

"Are you two staying here or...?"

"Yes, we came to study," Dorcas replied politely.

"Yeah, I just need to get my book," Marlene replied.

Lily nodded and pushed a chair out with her foot, silently offering the seat. Dorcas took the proffered chair and pulled her books and parchment out of her bag.

"I'm glad you here, actually," Lily said. "I wanted to talk to you about the Summer Graduation Ball. I know it's months away but it's our Graduation Ball and I want it to be perfect."

Dorcas nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," she laughed, and her laugh was honestly one of the most magical things Marlene had ever heard. "I was thinking about the theme just the other day, actually. I was wondering if maybe we should do Muggle black-tie or something?"

"That's a wonderful idea," Lily murmured thoughtfully. "Maybe we should make it optional, though. You know how the Slytherins can be."

"Yeah, I know. But Talkalot's a fan of fancy dress, so we could convince her that way."

"Good point," Lily grinned. "Well, there's no harm in bringing the idea up, is there?"

"Hey, I'll be back in a second, okay?" Marlene said before she jogged up the stairs and into her dorm room to collect her Arithmancy textbook.

Once she had retrieved her book, she headed back down the stairs and paused at the bottom, watching as her Gryffindor friends and her Ravenclaw **girlfriend** (she was still getting used to that new label but she doubted she would ever get sick of it) talked. Her eyes swept across the room and landed on the Marauders – on Sirius Black specifically – and, without thinking, she strolled over to the table at the opposite end of the common room.

Sirius looked up as she approached and grinned his usual charming smile, leaning back in his chair. "Madame McKinnon," he greeted.

"Sir Black," she replied, unable to hide her grin. "Thanks for your advice. It worked."

Sirius nodded. "Good," he said simply.

Marlene nodded and, unsure of what else to say, she turned around and headed back to her friends.

She placed her book on the table and took the seat next to Dorcas, ignoring the conversation going on between the two Head Girls as she boldly slipped her hand into the Ravenclaw's. Dorcas's smile widened and she glanced at Marlene but she didn't stop talking to Lily. Marlene offered a big smile and turned to her Arithmancy textbook, opening it to a random page, all the while thinking that her life was perfect. She had a brilliant family, a supportive network of friends, and she was courting one of her best friends.

Yes, she decided as she looked at Dorcas; telling was definitely worth the risk.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading!**

 **Written: October, 2016  
Rewritten: October, 2018**


End file.
